Background: Hilda initially became interested in environmental health while creating the curriculum for Family Health and incorporating an environmental component. She then taught the course at George Brown College. Additionally, as she participated in shaping and strengthening policies and advocating politically while serving on the Board of Directors of the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario, her knowledge and skills to champion the environmental determinants of health increased substantially.

Interests and Philosophy: Hilda passionately and enthusiastically defends social justice, health equity and the social and environmental determinants of health. Inspired by her granddaughter she believes: "We must all demonstrate our accountability and ownership for the health of our planet in order to leave a healthier world for our grandchildren and their children."

Education: Hilda received a diploma of nursing from York Regional School of Nursing, a BScN from Ryerson University and enthralled with a love of learning, a Master of Education from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education.

Career: Multifaceted encompassing clinical practice, nursing leadership, education and extensive professional, community and political experiences. Currently Hilda works in High Risk Obstetrics at Mount Sinai Hospital and is an energetic founding member of Sinai Green, contributed to the successful planning of the hospital’s Earth Day activities and is currently on the subcommittee piloting the technology project that will enhance provincial communication between health care workers on green initiatives. She also influenced MSH to originally partner with Pollution Probe during Clean Air Commute 2009.

Volunteer Work: Presently Policy and Political Action Officer for RNAO’s Nursing Research and Diabetes Nursing Interest Groups. Previously Hilda contributed to the evidence-based groundwork of engaged, founding members of the Canadian Nurses Association’s Environmental Health Reference Group as they developed environmental position statements, educational tools and resources which led to the creation of the Canadian Nurses for Health and the Environment. She shares her vast knowledge with peers and the general public at home, in workplaces, in her community, politically and on the national and international scene and reinforces the powerful messages delivered by her provincial and national professional associations.

She presented her submission to the Toronto Board of Health to augment the evidence that Toronto should have a "Right to Know Bylaw" in which up to 7000 Toronto businesses would disclose 25 particular emissions from their worksites. The resulting outcome of all submissions was that this bylaw, the first in Canada, was passed and will take effect in 2011. It will provide more open communications and community outreach between businesses and the communities they are in. In her community, Hilda is not only a founding Green Committee member of her religious group but has been elected Co-Chair and will be their representative for an upcoming Interfaith Environmental Panel. Behind the scenes, she supported courageous key players as they battled and won a permanent moratorium on site #41 near Barrie preventing the transformation of their local pristine aquifer into a landfill.

Honours: Her story is on Nursing Luminary, an on-line forum promoting nurse’s environmental and illuminating expertise.

Career: I have worked in various places and types of nursing over the years, but I enjoyed community nursing the best. For the past 10 years I have been teaching at Dawson College in the nursing department. I continue to work to combine my interest in environmental health and teaching together to introduce students to the role of the nurse in environmental health.

Interests: My interest in Environmental health has come as a natural progression from a long time interest and involvement in social justice issues. I eventually realised that I could combine my professional life with my interest in environmental health and justice by integrating these concepts into my teaching as well as joining together with other nurses in Canada and the US to promote environmental health as a fundamental aspect of nursing practice.

Background/Career- Jennifer Otto graduated from the University of Manitoba in 2007 with a Bachelor Degree in Nursing. Since then has worked Internal medicine/Oncology as a general duty RN.

In 2009 Jennifer’s career shifted when she became employed by Red River College as a Clinical Education Facilitator/Instructor. In the future Jennifer would like to further her education with graduate studies and certificate programs with a focus on Environmental Health as it relates to nursing practice.

She looks forward to working collaboratively with the Environmental Health work group members in order to further her own as well as others knowledge and efforts in this area of nursing. She hopes to someday initiate Green Health Practices in hospitals and community health centres across Canada as well as lobby for legislation to promote sustainability within the health care sector.

Current Education- Jennifer is completing a Certificate in Adult Education (CAE) at Red River College, with hopes to begin MN Program September 2011.

Volunteer- During 2009 Jennifer came across an article in the CNA Journal that was advertising for Canadian Nurses Environmental Health Group (CNEHG). She began participating in teleconference calls as time permitted and quickly became involved in the process of formulating the current Canadian Nurses for Health and the Environment (CNHE). In 2009 was the Interim Executives Communications Officer and currently holds the position as Secretary.

Interests: She has always been a strong environmental advocate and is currently a member of World Wildlife Foundation and The David Suzuki Foundation.

Volunteer Work: She also volunteers with Women’s Healthy Environments Network, which is a non-profit, charitable organization that educates the public on the links between environmental toxins and human health.

Honours: Naomi received first prize from Health Care Without Harm and The Luminary Project in 2008 for her essay titled The Nurse's Role as an Environmental Advocate.

You can read Naomi's essay, The Nurse's Role as an Environmental Advocate. here.

Background: I’m an RN with a BScN from the University of Toronto, having graduated in 1998. I have lived and worked in Sioux Lookout, ON for over a decade. My fiancé and I share a cozy house surrounded by the woods and animals of the great Boreal forest. I love to travel and hang out with family and friends.

Career: I began my nursing career as a General Duty Nurse at the Sioux Lookout Zone Hospital but now work as a public health nurse.

Interests: My interest in environmental health goes back to a project on acid rain I did in eighth grade. It was an eye opener even back then and I’ve been following issues on environmental health ever since that time.

Volunteer Work: I began volunteering with the Canadian Nurses for Health and the Environment in 2008, serving first as a volunteer on the CNEHG working group (2008-2009) then as the Treasurer on the Interim Executive (2009). I am currently the Communications Officer of CNHE (2009-2011).

I also volunteer with the Collaborative on Health and the Environment’s Mental Health Working Group (2009-present). We have done work on pesticides and are currently working on a paper about lead and its effects on childhood mental health.